Peru: Watch and be Utterly Amazed

I (Kathryn) have just returned from leading a team of 17 people to Arequipa, Peru.  God was so faithful to us and we saw Him work miracles among our team in many different ways.

The Lord gave me a scripture about a week before we left for Peru. It comes from Habakkuk 1:5, "Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do things in your days you wouldn't believe, even if you were told."  While we were serving in Peru, this scripture was constantly at the forefront of my mind. The day we were leaving, I heard from the missionaries that the 2 team members from another team we were joining had their bags held at the airport in Lima due to medicines they were carrying. They only had a few bags, and we had 30 or more! We began to pray and believe that all of our bags would make it through. Long story short: we never lost a bag, lost a pill, lost a packet of food. Everything made it through. Utterly amazing. God is faithful.

We conducted 5 full days of clinics. Our team was fully equipped with 1 doctor, a Doctor of Physical Therapy, 1 P.A., a pharmacist, and a handful of wonderful nurses. Through the clinics, evangelism and outreach ministry, 106 people came to know the Lord. Check out some pictures of our wonderful team serving and meeting the needs of others.

We began each day with a prayer and worship among those
who were waiting to be seen in the triage unit.

Staci (P.A.) treating a patient. Jim Weber (translator)

Susan (our Doctor) attending to a family at the clinic in Pedregal

Steve (our pharmacist) sorting medicines

Dora, a nurse and I.V. Therapist 

Jenna, a nurse working in the Triage unit

Megan, our Physical Therapist. Such a joy to have her along!
She made each patient work hard!

The first 2 days we spent in Cono Norte. God opened up the doors in this village for us to host a clinic. The missionaries we partnered with have a desire to build a permanent Christian Hospital there in the village. We were able to meet with the leaders of the village and walk to the land that they are wanting to build on. We prayed over the land and prayed with the leaders. God has already worked in the leaders hearts and placed that desire in them for this hospital. Their/our prayer is that the government will sign the papers and allow the Hospital to be built. As a team, we believe that God has given them this land and the hospital will be built. The scripture says to "Watch and be utterly amazed...he is going to do things we wouldn't believe, even if we were told..." We believe that more amazing things will come from the presence of permanent Christian Healthcare.

At our next clinic location, in the village of Pedregal, we saw God continue to work. At the end of one of our clinic days, there was an elderly lady who had walked all the way to the clinic seeking care. She was 101 years old and was our last patient. As she was being seen by the doctors, one of the Peruvian ladies at the clinic led her to the Lord. After she led her to a personal relationship with Christ, she said to the elderly woman that she looked familiar. The elderly lady recognized her as well. The lady figured out that this elderly woman was the lady that wet-nursed her as a child.  When she was a baby, her mother did not produce enough milk to feed her, and had another lady in the village wet-nurse her as a child. This is utterly amazing. God had brought these 2 women full circle and had an ultimate plan for their lives. As this lady gave her food and strength to grow as a child, God used that small child to grow into a mighty woman of God to eventually lead the elderly lady to Christ when she is 101. Check out the picture:

Carrying her up the stairs to get seen by the eye doctor. God is truly amazing.

While each clinic was taking place, we had a small group of people serve as part of the "Outreach Team". We worked mainly with children leading worship, sharing Bible Stories, making crafts and playing games. Each team member was a vital part of this ministry and they worked hard each day.

Worship with the kids. (Even a trashcan can be used as a drum!)

Me with some kids in Pedregal

The parachute was a hit!

Gwen, Bill and Shannon teaching the kids to jump rope
in the village of Cono Norte

stickers were great face decorations...

One of our crafts to go along with a Bible Story

Bill, our team Worship leader, was a great asset to our team.
The children just loved him, and he loved them!

After our 5 days of clinics in Cono Norte and Pedregal, we spent the last 3 days between the feeding center in Peruarbo and at 2 orphanages. The feeding center was an amazing experience. We were able to bring enough of the food (rice soy casserole) that we package at HSM to last a month or more! 

Susan and Karen cooking the food in Peruarbo

Pre-packaged meals. Each bag contains 6 meals! We
brought over 50 bags ( over 300 meals)!

Guilianna, the missionary/Pastor to the feeding center.
She runs the center and solely relies on God to provide the
food each week. Our team and the food was a blessing to her .

Guilianna leading worship at the feeding center

Faces of some of the people who attend the service at the feeding center

While we were there, the church/feeding center was facing a difficult time. As we were traveling to a clinic one day, we came upon a horrible wreck in the road. A small child was killed in a car accident, and the rest of the family was in the hospital. Later, we found out that this was a family from the church/feeding center that Guilianna runs in Peruarbo. Guilianna was so upset and many said that this was God's fault and that they would not return to the church. Many in the village were telling the believers that this happened because they attend Guilianna's church and feeding program. We surrounded Guilianna with love, prayers and support. She wasn't sure if anyone would even come on Saturday and you could tell through her tears that her heart was hurting. We stood behind her and we went together on Saturday ready to see God work. When we arrived, many were already there waiting and Bill lead the people in worship as others started to prepare the food. 

God moved in such miraculous ways that morning. One of the best (utterly amazing) moments was to see Guilianna eventually grab the guitar and lead her people in beautiful worship to the Lord. I don't believe that it was happenstance that we were there that week. God knew that she would need an army of other believers to come around her and help her that day.

Please continue to pray for Guilianna and the church/feeding center in the village of Peruarbo.

The next 2 days we spent at the orphanages. Sunday, we had a BBQ for the kids (filled their bellies with all the good stuff!), tye-dyed t-shirts, painted nails, played games and spent time in prayer and worship.

BBQ feast

worship at the orphanage

praying with the kids and they prayed for us

shannon and her new friend!

Steve playing with some kids on the monkey bars

The last day, the team did construction on the new orphanage that is being built.

God was so faithful during our travels and had his hand on us this whole trip. Please continue to pray for the people of Peru and those who came to know Him as their personal Lord and Savior.

I will be headed to Haiti in 3 weeks. Please pray as team members prepare their hearts for this trip! 

So that all may know Him,

Kathryn